Vic: Teenage pair's friends now at risk: psychologist

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2007
Vic: Teenage pair's friends now at risk: psychologist

Eds: Language warning for 15th and 21st pars.



MELBOURNE, April 23 AAP - Friends of two teenage girls who apparently committed suicide
together in bushland outside Melbourne are also at "huge risk" of harming themselves,
a psychologist says.

The bodies of friends Stephanie Gestier and Jodie Gater, both 16-year-old students
from Belgrave, in Melbourne's east, were found yesterday in the Dandenong Ranges National
Park.

The girls are believed to have been found hanging from a tree branch in an apparent suicide pact.

As their friends placed tributes on the girls' personal websites, Dr Michael Carr-Greg,
an ambassador for the national depression awareness group beyondblue, said their deaths
would now put their friends at increased risk of suicide.

"Yes, this puts all their friends at huge risk," he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"We know that having someone close to you commit suicide is a risk factor in and of
itself, and I imagine that Upwey High School (where the girls attended) is full of counsellors
at the moment.

"I'm sure there's people working out there with the young people to make sure they
understand that suicide is not a solution."

Jodie Gater had a Myspace website called Hoodlum with a profile that reads: "Let Steph
n me b free".

Cyber friends left tributes on the site yesterday.

One contributor, Matt, said: "R.I.P girl. Goanna miss you lots. I love you and i'll
never forget you".

Another said: "if it's true R.I.P. ill miss you and all the memories from primary skool. xoxo".

A third said Jodie would be forever missed. "Peace out, n take care. Will be thinking
of you.xXx."

Those who knew Jodie expressed their shock at her disappearance last Sunday.

"dude where r ya i saw ur pic in the paper," one concerned friend said on the website.

"u beta be at work on satday other wise itl be no fun wit out u."

Another friend pleaded for Jodie to return.

"where the fuck are you people are worry about you. please tell us where you are."

Jodie's MySpace page included an image of a glass full of absinthe and the words "let
us blow your mind".

The last message she posted on the site was dedicated to her boyfriend, Allan.

"I luv you sooo soo much Allan, Miss u heaps and heaps xoxoxo I will always remember
u," the teenager wrote.

A picture of Jodie and Allan kissing was posted next to the message.

Jodie last updated her page on April 14, a day before she and Stephanie went missing.

The page features a flashing message that says "fuck this world/everything that you
stand for/don't accept/don't give a shit/don't ever judge me".

Dr Carr-Greg said a joint suicide pact between girls was rare.

"It's very, very unusual to have girls kill themselves and particularly kill themselves
in this way," he said.

"So my only conclusion is that they must have been depressed."



(Counselling for troubled young people is available on the following numbers:

- Lifeline - 131 114 (cost of a local call)

- Kids Help Line - 1800 55 1800 (free call)

- Suicide Prevention Crisis Line - (02) 9331 2000.)

AAP kn/gfr/it/cdh

KEYWORD: BODIES DAYLEAD

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